2017 is the 50th anniversary of Milton Keynes. The Milton Keynes Academy is responding to the MK50 campaign in a number of different ways and the school is taking a group of young people through a series of activities that will help them explore their heritage and culture and express their hopes for the future. This group of 22 students are known as the Milton Keynes Academy Cultural Ambassadors and includes students from year 8 – 13. The group already meets weekly and are taken on trips to different cultural sites in the city (including Bletchley Park, the Roman villa and religious sites).

We would like our Cultural Ambassadors to work with an artist and/or cartographer for a day to reflect, discuss, explore and express their hopes and dreams for the future of Milton Keynes, specifically what they would like Milton Keynes to look like 50 years in the future – in the year 2067. The group have been invited to the European City of Culture Conference on November 23rd 2017 and we would like this workshop to result in a professionally produced summary of their thoughts and visions for a future MK for the young people to bring along with them. This could take the shape of a map, or cartography inspired image, cultural manifesto or simple pamphlet which to include and showcase the illustrations or words of the young people themselves.

This day requires strong facilitation and a clear desire to work with the young people to broaden their vision and aspiration for themselves and their locality, to enable them to dream big and realise that they have the power to shape their future landscape. The young people should leave the workshop with a genuine sense of being listened to, inspired and included and they should be able to recognise themselves in the resultant final piece.

The day will take place on either the 7/8/9th November (depending on the successful applicant’s availability) and the artist/s would be expected to work with the students between 8.50am and 3.30pm, to include a mid-morning break and 40 minute lunch break. There are a range of flexible working spaces available within the school.

We welcome individual expressions of interest and joint applications from facilitators, artists and cartographers. This opportunity is only open to Culture Challenge Practitioners. Please send a brief outline of how you would approach this work, along with an indication of costs (to include half a day prep, a full day delivery and the completion of the final piece) and your availability for the 7/8/9th November to Eleanor Hudson on eleanorh@bedfordcreativeartsorg.uk by the 27th October.

Photograph by Mini Map-Makers.